Chapter VII-A

UNION - STATE LEGISTATIVE RELATIONS :

A CRITICAL VIEW

UNION-STATE RELATIONSHIP
7A.1. BACKGROUND
7A.2. LEGISLATIVE DIVISION
7A.3. CONCURRENT LIST
7A.4. INTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATIVE ENTRIES
7A.5. EVALUATION

In the last chapter we discussed about the federal system of

Government conceived by the founding fathers. The concept of
federalism in our Constitution was designed as an administrative
rather than a contractual federation to bring political stability.
In the words of Wheare -India is a unitary State with
subsidiary federal principles rather than a federal State with
subsidiary unitary principles. Indian federalism has certain unique
features which distinguishes it from the American system. The
provisions that shows bias towards Center and the reasons why our
Constitution Framers had chosen in favour of centre. These are (1) Parliaments power to make laws for the whole or any part of
the country with respect to any of the matters enumerated in the
State list during the proclamation of Emergency. (2) The dual role of
the Governor of a State as its Constitutional head as well as an agent
of the Union Government, (3) An unequal representation of the States
in the Rajya Sabha, (4) a number of other provisions reveal the
Constitutional imbalance between the Union and the States such as the amending process of the Indian Constitution, the single judiciary
system, the All India Services, the single Election Commission and the

424

provisions for reservation of certain State bills for Presidential assent,

(5) The criterion for distribution of the revenue resources. Despite
these unified tendencies, the Centre is heavily dependent upon the
States for implementation of its policies. At times this has led many
State Governments to successfully defy the directives of the Union. A
classic example of the persistent defiance of the Unions directive by
the State Governments has been their refusal to levy tax on
agricultural income.
The question of Center-State relations did not arise for a long
time and the original Constitutional scheme worked very well. In
1957, the possibility of Center-State tension arose with the formation
of the first non-Congress Communist State Government in Kerala.
However the ministry did not last long.
The Centre-State relations viewed as a straight fight over turf
came sharply in focus after the fourth general elections which were
widely considered as having opened up a new chapter in federal
processes. Fourth General Election (1967) radically altered the party
position in a number of States and the problem assumed importance.
While they no doubt constitute, a convenient benchmark, in reality a
series of socio-economic and political changes during the sixties
provide the backdrop for understanding the subsequent phases.
Mention is made about coming into power of the first major regionalist
partyDMK. The DMK Government on assuming power did not like
the idea of a strong Centre and constantly tried for greater State
autonomy. The more serious conflict was witnessed in West Bengal in
1969 under the chief Minister ship of Jyoti Basu. Finally, the internal
crisis of the Congress party and the emergence of dissident splinter
groups followed by the great split contributed significantly to raising
the level of consciousness regarding inadequacies of the federal
system.

The social realities of the north-eastern region had been

clamoring for attention and recognition for a long time and the
425

creation of separate States there was the last major exercise in federal
restructuring.
A politicized and discerning electorate welcomed the emergence
of regional alternatives to a party whose State leaders had ceased to
command respect because of their ineffectual representation in
Central policy making forums. State electorates showed reluctance to
surrender to the Centre, through party channels, the limited
Constitutional autonomy they enjoyed in ordering their own affairs.
The persistence and intensification of multi-party federalism
over the last decade have raised serious doubts regarding the viability
of the old centralist regulatory conception of federal management.
Over

concentration

of

powers

had

generated

need

for

decentralization and it is argued that stronger States would ultimately

strengthen the Centre.
The widening gap between fast track India, that has already
entered the hi-tech age and is predominantly centralist in orientation,
and the other India which constitutes the bulk of the constituencies in
the States, has added a new dimension to the federal policy. Uneven
development of ethno-regional units and increased politicization lend
urgency to review of economic and financial relations between the
Centre and the States.
The forceful championing of States interest, by non-Congress
Government, and the partial success they were able to obtain raised
the possibility of challenges to Central leadership, along similar line,
from within the Congress. Regional Congress leaders were quick to
point to their own needs for greater autonomy in sect oral allocation of
resources in order to meet the threats of internal factionalism and
growing opposition.

426

The persistence and intensification of multi party federalism

over the last decade have serious doubts regarding the viability of the
old centralize regulatory conception of federal management. Uneven
development of ethno regional units and increased politicization lend
urgency to review of economic and financial relations between the
Centre and the States. So, tension has grown in our federal polite.
The major area of Center-State irritants in India relates to the
legislative sphere of the Constitution. The distribution of legislative
powers between the Center and the States is the sine-qua-non of a
federal Constitution.
The scheme of distribution of powers in our Constitution
between the Center and the States is more elaborative and
comprehensive than the schemes in the USA, Canada, Australia and
Nigeria.
The general principles guiding the division of powers are the
same which are aptly pointed out by Prof. Dicey in these words:
Whatever concerns the nation as a whole should be placed under the
control of the national Government. All the matters which are not
primarily of common interest should remain in the hands of the
several layers.1
The impetus to centralize the federal structure was inspired by
the emphasis on creating State interventionist command economies
modeled on a mixture of ideas from America New Deal, Soviet
planning and the plans of Britain Labour Party which was elected to
office after World War II at the time when Indian Constitution was
being drafted. Soviet model of planned change. This was reflected in

1 A.V. Dicey-An Introduction to the study of the Constitution, taken ffomCentre-State Relations in
India427-SubhN. Singh, 1990.

427

the Constitution in various ways including the legislative division of

powers.
7.2.

LEGISLATIVE DIVISION

The essence of federalism lies in the sharing of legal sovereignty

by the Union and the federating units. And, in general, the most
precise way of demarcating the respective areas of the federation and
federating units is to demarcate their respective areas in regard to
legislation. The entire scheme of distribution of legislative powers
under the present Indian Constitution is based on the Government of
India Act 1935.
Articles 245 to 255 of the Constitution of India contain a charter
of the distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the
State. There is a three-fold distribution of legislative powerrepresented by three lists - Union, State and Concurrent.
The Seventh Schedule to the Constitution embodies these lists,
viz. the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List consisting
of 97, 66 and 47 items respectively. Even after the changes in the
Schedule brought about by Constitution Amendment acts, the
numbers of entries in the three lists have remained the same.2 We will
discuss about this later part of the chapter.
UNION LIST- It consists of the 97 subjects which are of common

interest to the Union and with respect to which uniformity of

legislation throughout the Union is essential.
STATE LIST- It consists of 66 items which allow for diversity of

interest and treatment.

Although the States are given exclusive

2 Our Constitution -Subhash C Kashyap.

428

powers over the subject in the State list, there are two exception to
this general rule.
1.

Under Article 249, if the Rajya Sabha declares by a resolution

supported by two-thirds of the members present and voting that
it is necessary or expedient in the national interest that
Parliament should make laws with respect to any matter
enumerated in the State List, Parliament is competent to make
laws on that matter for the whole or any part of India.

2.

Again under Article 250, Parliament is empowered to make laws

on any item included in the State List for the whole or any part
of India while a proclamation of Emergency is in operation.

7.3 CONCURRENT LIST

The 47 matters in which uniformity of legislation throughout the

Union is desirable but not essential are included in the concurrent
least.
The Scheme of Distribution in India (Articles 245-246)
The Constitutional provisions in India on the subject of
distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States are
spread out over several articles (articles 245-254). However, the most
important of those provisions - i.e. the basic one - is that contained in
articles 245-246. Article 245 provides that (subject to the provisions of
the Constitution). Parliament may make laws for the whole or any part
of the territory of India and the legislature of a State may make laws
for the whole or any part of the State.
Thus, article 245 sets out the limits of the legislative powers of
the Union and the States from the geographical (or territorial) angle.

429

From the point of view of the subject matter of legislation, it is article

246 which is important. Article 246 reads as under:
(1) Notwithstanding anything in clauses (2) and (3), Parliament has
exclusive power to make laws with respect to any of the matters
enumerated in List 1 of the Seventh Schedule (in this
Constitution, referred to as the Union List).
(2) Notwithstanding anything in clause (3), Parliament, and subject
to clause (1), the Legislature of any State also, shall have power
to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in
List III in the Seventh Schedule (in this Constitution, referred to
as the Concurrent List).
(3) Subject to clauses (1) and (2), the Legislature of any State has
exclusive power to make laws for such State or any part thereof
with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II in the
Seventh Schedule (the State List).
(4) Parliament has power to make laws with respect to any matter
for any part of the territory of India not included in a State,
notwithstanding that such matter is a matter enumerated in the
State List.
The Articles shows that laws made by Parliament, however cannot be
questioned on ground of extra-territorial operation.
And any State law would be void if it has extra-territorial operation
(Kochuni v. State of Madras, AIR 1960 SC 1080) unless sufficient
nexus can be shown to exist between the object and the State (State of
Bombay v. RMDC, AIR 1957 SC 699: Tata Iron & Steel Co. v. State of
Bihar, AIR 1958 SC452).
The supremacy of federal laws is maintained in two situations:
(a)

in determining the extent of legislative power of the federation

and the units, (if a doubt arises as to the list in which a
430

particular subject of legislation falls, Article 246 achieves federal

supremacy);
(b) In determining the question whether a federal law will prevail or
a State law will prevail; (if both have an impact on a particular
human activity, and are in conflict with each other, then the
federal law prevails).
(c)

In case of any inconsistency between laws made by Parliament

and those made by the Legislature of the State in respect of
items in the Concurrent List, the Union law shall prevail and
the State law shall be void to the extent of inconsistency except
where a State law is reserved for the consideration of the
President and receives his assent (Art. 254).
If a particular entiy does not find an express mention in the

three legislative lists, then the power to legislate thereon (i.e., the
residuary law-making power) is vested in the federation (Art. 248). In
certain situations (even apart from emergencies), the federation may
come to be vested with legislative power, even on State subjects to give
effect to any international treaty, agreement, convention or decision
Art. 253).3
The Concurrent List indicates the vesting of power in two
parallel legislatures, operating at the same time and also because
such a scheme is to be found in most federations of the world, though
the details vary.
The practical importance of the Concurrent list, (when adopted
in any federation) lies in the fact, that the vesting of the same type of
power in two parallel agencies carries, within it, the seeds of a
possible conflict. This implies, that the Constitution should provide, in
3 E Venkataramiah and P. M. Bakshi, Indian Federalism (1992)

431

advance, a mechanism for resolving such conflict. In India, article 254

of the Constitution primarily seeks to incorporate such a mechanism.
Further, so far as the Concurrent List is concerned, it is desirable to
quote what the Joint Committee on Indian Constitutional Reforms
said, with reference to the corresponding list, as contemplated in the
proposals that led to the Act of 1935 4:Experience has shown, both in India and elsewhere, that there
are certain matters which cannot be allocated exclusively either to a
central or to a Provincial legislature and for which, though it is often
desirable that provincial legislation should make provision, it is
equally necessary that the central legislature should also have a
legislative jurisdiction enable it, in some cases to secure uniformity in
the main principles of law throughout the country, in others, to guide
and encourage provincial effort and in others, again, to provide
remedies for mischief arising in the provincial sphere, but extending,
or liable to extend beyond the boundaries of a single province.
It has now been realized everywhere that in some fields of
Governmental activities, the strict division of power between the two
Governments is inconvenient, because full efficiency demands a
combination of local administration with national planning and co
ordination.

The Concurrent List is like a shock- absorber which

enables both the Union and the States to go beyond their own
exclusive legislative sphere, as necessity arises, to meet exigencies
without

transgressing

the

boundaries

of each

other.

Alladi

krishnaswami Aiyar had remarked in the Constituent Assembly, The

existence of large list of Concurrent subjects is calculated to promote
harmony between the Centre and the Units and avoid the necessity of
the Courts having to resolve the conflict if there is to be only a two
fold division of subjects.5 The views expressed by him till today hold
4 Taken from NCRWC Report.
5 CAD.VoUI- taken from Centre-State Relations in India by Subh N. Singh.

432

validity to establish a harmonious relationship between the Centre

and States for orderly progress and prosperity.
Keeping in view all the factors the Framers of the Constitution
tried to apportion the functions in a way best suitable to the peculiar
Indian circumstances, conditions and exigencies of the country. But a
debate has started about the viability of retaining the arrangement of
Concurrent List at all because it grants an upper hand to the Centre.
Let us examine this issue now.
It would be convenient to give here some concrete examples of
the three main objectives of a Concurrent List as envisaged by the
Joint Select Committee.
1. Uniformity - The aspect of uniformity in the main principles of law.
This consideration accounts for the following entries in the
Concurrent List in the present Indian Constitution.
Entry 1.

Criminal law............

Entry 2.

Criminal Procedure.........

Entry 5.

Marriage and divorce etc.

Entry 7.

Transfer of property other than agricultural land

Entry 8.

Registration of deeds and documents

Entry 9

Actionable wrongs

Entry 10.

Bankruptcy and insolvency

Entry 11.

Trusts and trustees

Entry 12.

Administrators general and official trustees

Entry 12

A. Administration of justice etc. (inserted in 1976)

Entry 13.

Evidence etc.

Entry 14.

Civil procedure etc.

Entry 15.

Contempt of court etc.

Entry 16.

Lunacy etc.

Entry 28

Charities etc.

433

2. Encouraging local effort-The Joint Select Committee also stressed

the need to guide and encourage provincial effort. This consideration
forms the background and rationale for several legislative measures
enacted in India, wherein the Union has laid down the policy and
guidelines, - thereby promoting further efforts by the States. The
following can be regarded as examples of such approach.
(a) The Probation of Offenders Act, 1958.
(b) The Family Courts Act, 1984.
(c)

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

(d) The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

3. Problems extending beyond the State- Finally, as envisaged by the
Joint Select Committee6 on Indian Constitutional reforms, some
entries in the Concurrent List take into account the fact, that (in
future), a need may arise to enact legislation providing for mischiefs
arising in the provincial sphere, which extend, (or are likely) to extend,
beyond the boundaries of a single province. Examples of entries in the
Concurrent List, which illustrate this consideration, are the following:
Entry 3.

Preventive detention

Entry 5.

Marriage etc.

Entry 15.

Vagrancy; nomadic and migratory tribes

Entry 21.

Commercial and industrial monopolies, etc.

Entry 25.

Education, including Universities, etc.

(This entry was revised in 1977).

Entry 33.

Trade and commerce etc. in certain products and goods.

Entry 35.

Mechanically propelled vehicles etc.

Entry 38,

Electricity

Incidentally, the wisdom of including Electricity in the Concurrent

List (entry 38) is amply demonstrated by the successive statutory
measures enacted on the subject in India after independence
6 Paragraph 4.2, supra.

434

beginning with the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, supplemented or

modified by a mass of recent legislation in the subject.
7.4

INTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATIVE ENTRIES:

1.

Determination of nature of legislation

It is obvious, that where either the Union or the State legislature

proposes to enact a law, it must, in the first place, decide whether it
has legislative competence with reference to the subject matter of the
law. For this purpose, the draftsman will necessarily have to examine
whether the subject matter falls within the relevant list, that is to say:
1. The Union List or the Concurrent list or
2. The State List

(a) The co-existence of Central and State laws in a particular area

can give rise to litigation. Such problems arise, either because
the Union or a State may illegally encroach upon the province of
the other (parallel) legislature, or they may arise because
(though there is no encroachment, as such, on each others
sphere), the two laws clash with each other.
(b) The two situations are, strictly speaking, different from each
other; and they must be judged by two different tests. Where the
subject-matter of the legislation in question falls within either
the Union List or the State list only, then the question is to be
decided with reference to legislative competence. One of the two
laws must necessarily be void, because (leaving aside matters in
the Concurrent List), the Indian Constitution confers exclusive
jurisdiction upon Parliament for matters in the Union List and

435

upon a State Legislature for matters in the State List.7 The

correct doctrine applicable in such cases is that of ultra vires.
Since one of the two laws must be void, the question of
inconsistency between the two has no relevance. Only one law
will survive; and the other law will not survive.
(c)

In contrast, where the legislation passed by the Union and the

State is on a subject matter included in the Concurrent List,
then the matter cannot be determined by applying the test of
ultra vires because the hypothesis is, that both the laws are
(apart from repugnancy), Constitutionally valid. In such a case,
the test to be adopted will be that of repugnancy, under article
254(2), of the Constitution.8

(d) It follows, that it is only where the legislation is on a matter in

the Concurrent List, that it would be relevant to apply the test
of repugnancy. Notwithstanding the contrary view expressed in
some quarters, this appears to be the correct position. Such a
view was expressed by Dr. D. Basu in his Commentary on the
Constitution of India (1950) and it is this view, that seems to
have been upheld (impliedly) by the Supreme Court in the under
- mentioned decisions: (i)

Deep Chand Vs. State ofU. P., AIR 1959 SC 648; (1959) Suppl. 2
SCR 8.

(ii) Premnath Vs. State of J&K, AIR 1959 SC 749 (1959) Suppl 2
SCR 270.
(iii) Ukha Vs. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1963 SC 1531, paragraph
20.

(iv) Bar Council, U.P. Vs. State ofU.P., AIR 1973 SC 231, 238; (1973)
1 SCC 261.
7 Paragraph 2.2, supra.
8 Paragraph 2.3, supra.

436

(v)

Barani Vs. Henry, AIR 1983 SC 150, paragraph 15.

(vi) Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Vs. State of Bihar, AIR 1983 SC 1020,

paragraphs 68, 69 and 76 (Full decision of the position).
(vii) Pochanna Lingappa Vs. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1985 SC 389,
paragraph 26; (1985) 1 SCC 425.
(viii) Vijay Kumar Sharma Vs. State of Karnataka, AIR 1990 SC 2072
[For decisions in section 107, Government of India Act, 1935 see
Lakhi Narayan Das vs. Province of Bihar, AIR 1950 FC 59.
Since

the

Concurrent

List9

gives

power

to

two

legislatures, a conflict can arise between laws passed on the same

subject by the two legislatures. To deal with this situation, Article 254
(1) and (2) of the Constitution makes the following provision:
If any provision of a law made by the Legislature of a State is
repugnant to any provision of a law made by Parliament which
Parliament is competent to enact, or to any provision of an existing
law with respect to one of the matters enumerated in the Concurrent
List, then, subject to the provisions of clause (2), the law made by
Parliament, whether passed before or after the law made by the
Legislature of such State, or, as the case may be, the existing law,
shall prevail and the law made by the Legislature of the State shall, to
the extent of the repugnancy, be void.
Where a law made by the Legislature of a State with respect to
one of the matters enumerated in the Concurrent List contains any
provision is repugnant to the provisions of an earlier law made by
Parliament or an existing law with respect to that matter, then, the
law so made by the Legislature of such State shall, if it has been
reserved for the consideration of the President and has received his
assent, prevail in the State:

9 Paragraph 2.2, supra.

437

Provided that nothing in this clause shall prevent Parliament

from enacting at any time any law with respect to the same matter,
including a law adding to, amending, varying or repealing the law so
made by the Legislature of the State.
Repugnancy has been explained in many judicial decisions. Important
amongst these, are the following:
(ii) Zaverhhai Vs. State of Bombay, AIR 1954 SC 752 (Implied repeal
- Essential Supplies Act)
(iii) Tika Ramji Vs. State of UP, (1956) SCR 393; AIR 1956. SC 676.
(U.P. Sugar Cane Act, etc.).
(iv) Ahmedabad Mill Owners Association Vs. I.G., AIR 1967 SC
1091.
(v)

Karunanidhi Vs. Union of India, AIR 1979 SC 898; (1979) Cri LJ

773: Karunanidhi Vs. Union of India, (1979) Cri LJ 1876 (Mad)
(FB).

(vi) Raghubir Vs. State of Haryana, AIR 1981 SC 2037.

(vii) Western Coalfields Vs. Special Area Development, AIR 1982 SC
697.

(a) It follows, that it is only where the legislation is on a matter in

the Concurrent List, that it would be relevant to apply the test
of repugnancy. Notwithstanding the contraiy view expressed in
some quarters, this appears to be the correct position. Such a
view was expressed by Dr. D. Basu in his Commentaiy on the
Constitution of India (1950) and it is this view, that seems to
have been upheld (impliedly) by the Supreme Court in the under
- mentioned decisions:

10 Dr. D. Basu Constitution of India (1950).

438

(ix)

Deep Chand Vs. State ofU. P., AIR 1959 SC 648; (1959) Suppl.

(x)

2 SCR 8.
Premnath Vs. State of J&K, AIR 1959 SC 749 (1959) Suppl 2

(xi)

SCR 270.
Ukha Vs. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1963 SC 1531, paragraph
20.

(xii)

Bar Council, U.P. Vs. State of U.P., AIR 1973 SC 231, 238;
(1973) 1 SCC 261.

(xiii) Barani Vs. Henry, AIR 1983 SC 150, paragraph 15.

(xiv) Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Vs. State of Bihar, AIR 1983 SC 1020,
paragraphs 68, 69 and 76 (Full decision of the position).
(xv)

Pochanna Lingappa Vs. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1985 SC

389, paragraph 26; (1985) 1 SCC 425.

(xvi)

Vijay Kumar Sharma Vs. State of Karnataka, AIR 1990 SC

2072 [For decisions in section 107, Government of India Act,
1935 see Lakhi Narayan Das vs. Province of Bihar, AIR 1950
FC 59.

(xvii) Act, 1935 see Lakhi Narayan Das vs. Province of Bihar, AIR
1950 FC 59.
Notice should also be taken of article 255 of the Constitution, quoted
below:
Article 255. Requirements as to recommendations and previous
sanctions to be regarded as matters of procedure only.No Act of Parliament or of the Legislature of a State, and no provision
in

any such Act, shall be invalid by reason only that some

recommendation or previous sanction required by this Constitution

was not given, if assent to that Act was given (a) Where the recommendation was that of the Governor, either by
the Governor or by the President;
(b) Where

the

recommendation

required

was

that

of the

Rajpramukh, either by the Rajpramukh or by the President;

439

(c)

Where the recommendation or previous sanction required was

that of the President, by the President.

Doctrine of pith and substance

For this purpose, the test of pith and substance is usually applied.
In no field of Constitutional law is the comparative approach more
useful, than in regard to the doctrine of pith and substance. This is
a doctrine which has come to be accepted in India and derives its
genesis from the approach adopted by the courts (including the Privy
Council), in dealing with controversies arising in other federations.
Briefly Stated, what the doctrine means, is this. Where the question
arises of determining whether a particular law relates to a particular
subject (mentioned in one List or another), the court looks to the
substance of the matter. Thus, if the substance falls within Union
List, then the incidental encroachment by the law on the State List
does not make it invalid.
The principle of pith and substance had come to be
established by the Privy Council, when it determined appeals from
Canada or Australia involving the question of legislative competence of
the federation or the States in those countries. In India, the doctrine
of pith and substance came to be adopted in the pre-independence
period, under the Government of India Act, 1935. The classical
example is the Privy Council decision in Prafulla Vs. Bank of Commerce,
AIR 1946 PC 60, holding that a State law, dealing with money lending
(a State subject), is not invalid, merely because it incidentally affects
promissory notes (See now Union List, entry 46). The doctrine is
sometimes expressed in terms of ascertaining the nature and true
character of legislation; and it is also emphasized, that the name
given by the Legislature (to the legislation) in the short title, is
immaterial. Again, for applying the pith and substance doctrine,

440

regard is to be had (i) to the enactment as a whole, (ii) to its main

objects, and (iii) to the scope and effect of its provisions.
The under mentioned decisions illustrate the above proposition:(i)

State of Rajasthan Vs. G. Chawla, AIR 1959 SC 544, 547

(ii)

(Ancillary matters).
Southern Pharmaceuticals Vs. State of Kerala, AIR 1981 1865,
paragraph 15 (incidental encroachment, to be disregarded).

(iii) Prem Vs. Chhabra, (1984) 2 SCC 302, paragraph 8.

7.5 EVALUTION

The scheme of the distribution of Legislative powers between the

Centre and the State permits undoubtedly towards a high degree of
centralization. The basic division of power is biased in favour of the
Union in a number of ways.
1. The Union List is much longer than the State List, with 97 items
within the exclusive control of the Union, 66 items exclusively
with the States and 47 items in the concurrent List over which
both could legislate.
2. The Union can regulate some of the crucial items on which the
States have exclusive powers. Police is within the State List (List
II Entry E. 2) subject to armed forces of the Union being
deployable by the centre (List I E. 2A). Matters of Communication
is subject to Union intervention (List II E. 13). Mines and Mineral
Development are in the State List (I..II E23) but subject to
regulatory control by the Union legislation (see List II E. 24 and
List I E 7 and 52) so is Trade and Commerce (List II E. 26 and
List III E. 33). Only the lesser corporations are within the States
exclusive preserve (List II E 33 and List I.E. 60). The Union has
also got the better catchment area over certain aspects of taxation
(List II. E. 54, 57 and 63).
441

3. The Lists are substantively in favour of the Union covering in

great detail international aspects including foreign trade, armed
forces, communication and commercial life, various aspects of
education and the greater power to levy taxes.

Thus, in the

crucial exclusive areas of trade and commerce industry and

mining the Union has overriding control.
4. Residuary powers lie with the Union and not with the States
(Article 248) which also has in any case, a general legislative and
executive power over matters not mentioned in any of the other
Lists (Lists I E 97)
1. certain matters such as forest and environment originally on the
State List were transferred to the Concurrent List ,in 1976
through 42nd Amendment Act and have remained there.
The Constitutional design as it was expected to work has certain other
features.
1. The Upper House (Rajya Sabha) can by a resolution empower the
Union to intrude into the exclusive State area (Article 248).
Equally two or more States can request the Union to legislate on
the State List.

This is how theWild Life Protection Act (1971)

came to be passed.
2. During an Emergency, Indian federalism potentially collapsed
(Article250).
3. In the areas of concurrent power, Union legislation prevails
(Article 254). A corollary to this is that the Governor is given the
general power to reserve bills which he thinks need the Unions
consideration (Article 200-1). In one example of this given by the
Sarkaria Commission Report on Centre-State Relations, it took the

442

Union twelve years to give its consent to a Bill which has been
passed by the West Bengal legislature in 1969.
3. The treaty making power which was vested with the Union Stated
that once any treaty agreement, convention... any decision made
at any international conference, association or other body was
signed by the Union, the latter had overriding powers to traverse
Indian federalism and enact laws and exercise executive power on
any matter relating to the implementation of the treaty.
The treaty making power has become very relevant at a time
when trade and other international regimeslike those under the
General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) are being created in
way that national barriers and the sovereignty of the nation State is
being assailed.
The new GATT is a special instance in question because it is not
just concerned with trade in goods but also services (General
Agreement on Trade and Services), investment (Trade Related
Investment Measures), intellectual property (Trade Related Intellectual
Property Rights) and various other aspects of the economy. Troubled
by the effect of the new GATT on their power, three States Rajasthan, Orissa and Tamil Nadu - filed suits in the Supreme Court
of India against the Union of India raising a federal dispute that the
new GATT (amongst other things) affects their exclusive powers given
to them by the Constitution and forces them to share power with the
Union in ways that violate the basic structure of the Constitution.
A Citizens Commission, headed by Justice Krishna Iyer and
manned by retired judges, has taken the view that the States may well
be right in their contentions. It has, therefore, been suggested by
various concerned persons that the potential of the treaty-making
empowerments in the Union to dissolve Indian federalism by a mere
443

signature may be much too lethal for Indian governance and requires
review.
To quote N.A. Palkhiwala , The Center has become a vertical
monolithic edifice by appropriating to itself various subjects which
should be dealt with by the States.. In India, Central Government has
brought distortions and aberrations in legislation pertaining to
industries. Industries fall under the entry 24 of the State List and are
thus within the jurisdiction of the States.

But such jurisdiction is

hedged with the Central interference under entries 7 and 52 of the

Union List. Under entry 7, Parliament may bring in any restriction on
Industries declared by Parliament to be necessary for the purposes of
defence or for the prosecution of war. Entry 52 still goes further and
says that if Parliament deems it expedient in the public interest to
control any industry, it may do so. By virtue of power vested in
Parliament under entry 52, Parliament passed the Industries
(Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.

Consequently the Union

Government regulates and controls every industry at every stage right

from the stage of issuing license. The sweeping Central control must
end because it is one sided and does not stand the test of
reasonableness.
The Memoranda of the Karnataka Government and the West
Bengal Government demanded deletion of or amendment to Article
248,249,252 and254 so that no State could be deprived of any
Legislative power which belongs to it without its prior concurrence. We
will discuss these Government s demands in the next chapter in
which we will also discuss about Article s 200 and Article 201. Under
these Articles the Constitution provides certain discretionary powers
to the Governor. These have been an important field of irritants in the
Union-State relations. However the working of the Constitution of the
last five decades has shown that these Article s have been misused to
establish central hegemony, to allow such a legislation which does not
444

fall in line in conformity with the ideology of the ruling party at the
Centre and sometimes to discredit the opposition party of the State.
In regard of Articles 248, 249, 252 and 254 it may be said
I feel that demands of the Karnataka and West Bengal Governments
seem to be unjustified because these Articles serve a good purpose
and do not in any way intend to encroach upon the autonomy of the
States. The Sarkaria commission has also favoured the retention of
these Articles.
Some contradictoiy opinions are expressed over the question
whether repugnancy in Article 254 occurs only in matters relating to
this Concurrent List. The words, competent to enact, in clause (1)
have given rise to this debate.
Ivor Jenning has gone a step further to suggest that Article 254
(1) is not to be restricted to repugnancy in the Concurrent field alone.
It applies equally to cases of repugnancy between Union Law and
State Law in different Lists. But this view appears to be erroneous. A
number of scholar opine1 hhat the words competent to enact, in
clause (1) are wide but the scope of clause (1) has been restricted by
making it subject to the Concurrent List. The Supreme Court in
Zaverbhais and Premnaths case has also expressed similar views.12
Some commentators feel that this provision is a radical deviation from
generally accepted theory of federalism to permit a national
Legislature to transfer unto itself unilaterally powers reserved to the
States by the Constitution.
Recently NCRWC examined the Constitutional provisions regarding
powers of legislation, analyzing the Constitutional amendments that
have been enacted to time to time and the judicial pronouncements on
11RCS Sarkar, Union-State Relations in India.
12 Zaverbhai vs.State of Bombay,! 954,SCA, 1295; Premnath vs. State of J&K, AIR, 1959, SC,749.

445

major issues arising from concurrency. Its view was that there was no
ground for change in the existing Constitutional provisions. But the
commission is convinced that it is essential to institutionalize the
process of consultation between the Union and the States on
legislation under the Concurrent List.

446

CHAPTER VII-B
UNION - STATE LEGISTATIVE RELATIONS :
A CRITICAL VIEW
STATE AUTONOMY
7.B.1

BACKGROUND

7.B.2

CONCEPT OF STATE AUTONOMY

7.B.3.

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEMAND OF STATE AUTONOMY AND

EMEREGING TRENDS.
DEMAND

7.B.4.

FOR

GREATER

STATE

AUTONOMY APPOINTMENT

OP

COMMISSIONS
7.B.4.I.

RAJAMANNAR COMMITTEE

7.B.4.2.

WEST BENGAL MEMORANDUM

7.B.4.3.

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM COMMISSION

7.B.4.4.

ANANDPUR SAHIB RESOLUTION

7.B.4.5.

SARKARIA COMMISSION

7.B.5.

ROLE OF JUDICIARY

7.B.6.

NCRWCS RECOMMENDATION
CRITICAL APPRAISAL

7.B.I. BACKGROUND

The Constitution does not use the term Centre. Centre and
Union connote very different concepts. Centre is a point in the
middle of the circle while Union is the whole circle. The relationship
between the Centre and States is the relationship between the Center
of authority and its peripheries and not between the whole and the
parts.
The main problem of Indian polity, since independence is
Center-State relationship. In an earlier chapter while discussing
legislative powers we saw that federal structure of India is highly
centralized. We also know the factors which influenced the framers
447

deeply. It is the Central Government which is the dominating partner

in terms of powers and finances in the leading federations. The
Central Government should not be weakened but it does not mean
that State Government should not get their proper shares.
Though

the

Constitution

of India

has

certain

federal

characteristics, yet Indian federalism has been influenced by highly

unitary trends which were misused while implementing federal
provisions which led ultimately to the erosion of the State autonomy.
The cry for States autonomy did arise when the States realized that
they are not getting their rights which have been provided under the
Constitution.
The actual pattern of Center-State relations came to be shaped
by extra-Constitutional, political and economic factors, of which the
following are noteworthy:
1. The impact of planning that gave rise to regional imbalances.
2. The impact of a single dominant party at the union and in the
States.
3. The impact of dominance of single leaders, Jawahar Lai Nehru
(1950-1964} and Indira Gandhi (1971-77) and again (1980-84)
on the political system as a whole and on the pattern of CenterState relations in particular. As a result, the Constitution is not
the final guide to studying the actual shape of Center State
relations in India, as the actual shape has been influenced by the
factors listed above in varying degree from time to time. What
makes

a federation

successful

is

its

capacity to

evolve

mechanisms and processes of tension-management, conflictresolution, co-ordination and co-operation.

448

From this point of view, Indian federalism can be seen under

distinctive phases:1
1. 1950-1964- period of paramount of the Center {paramount
federalism) This period was marked by Nehrus undisputed sway
over the countiys affairs on the one hand and strong reaction to
the earlier attempts of the colonial power to encourage divisive
forces on the other.
2. 1964-1971- period of competitive and bargaining federalism.
This phase was characterized first by the changes at the top
and, later, by the pattern of multi-party Governments in the
States.
3.

1971-75- period of cooperative and normative federalism.

The third phase, till the declaration of emergency in 1975,
features a new semblance of stability under Indira Gandhis
dominating influence. It is in this phase that the issue of greater
State autonomy was vehemently advocated by the leaders of the
non-Congress Governments particularly in the States of J&K
and Tamilnadu. This period has also witnessed growing
controversy over the stationing of the Central Reserve Police
forces in States. The non-Congress Governments in West Bengal
and Kerala objected to the Centres right to send central forces to
protect the offices, communications and other installations in
the States on the ground that it violated the States right to
maintain law and order. This phase has produced the greatest
tensions and conflicts in the Center-State relations in India.
4. 1975-77 - period of emergency {Unitary federalism).
The nineteen months of emergency period during 1975-77 when
the increasing demand of State autonomy was not only shelved
in the background, but the very federal character of the system
had undergone complete alteration.
1 Indian Constitution-trends and Issues, Rajiv Dhawan

449

5. To these four phases can be added, fifth one- 1977-1984- in the

first part of which the advent of the Janata Party for a short time
with its commitments to the process of

devolution and

decentralization in policy making but belied the hopes. And the

later part was represented with the era of Congress with soft
comer for the process of federalization.
6. The sixth phase can be assumed, 1984-1989- in which Rajiv
Gandhi tried to set in the motion to reverse process of
federalization through decentralization.
7. The last phase can be called coalition Era of multi-party
competitive politics- This phase has led many observers to
believe that the State autonomy has been the maximum. As the
one party dominance reduces the federal principle to a vanishing
point, multi-party coalition Government would help to resolve all
the conflicts and tensions in Center-State relations.
7.B.2. CONCEPT OF STATE AUTONOMY

Autonomy in a federal form of Government means, the units

should have sufficient and adequate Legislative and administrative
powers without any interference from outside control and adequate
financial resources for implementing and executing its plans for
reconstructing the society on modern welfare lines without any control
of the central Government in any way.
State autonomy under the division of powers of a federal
Constitution has three important dimensions apart from the political:2
1.

Autonomy is a condition for self-expression, for the expression of

a sense of identity.

2 Thoughts on More Perfect Union- Dr. S. P. Aiyer taken from The Constitution and the Parliament in
India The Lok Sabha Publication.

450

2.

Autonomy is a condition for the effective use of re

States must have the freedom to determine their c

3.

in planning.
Autonomy is a condition for operational effic

^__ _

federalism is best suited to a large country, the States provide

an

important

level

for

implementation

of

Government

programmes.
In the context of federalism, autonomy has a restricted meaning
and does not connote the sovereignty of the units of the federation.
When autonomy becomes a cover for ideological strategies against the
Union Government it tends to destroy the foundations of the federal
system. Finally, the demarcation of jurisdictions between the Union
and the State Government s under the federal Constitution, however
carefully carried out, does not provide an arrangement without
possibilities of conflict or of practical inconvenience.
The concept of State autonomy is a relative one and it might
vary from one administrative area to another; likewise, the idea of
federal centralization is also relative. The Central Government may be
strong in some fields, weak in others. It may be strong at one time but
weak at another. Every system has its centralizers and its
decentralizes. These and other factors have influenced the relationship
between the States and the Union Government, tilting the balance
sometimes one way, sometimes another. The problem of State
autonomy cannot be settled once and for all to our satisfaction as well
as to that of subsequent generations. This is also the experience of the
USA.

451

7.B.3.

FACTORS

RESPONSIBLE

FOR

DEMAND

FOR

STATE

AUTONOMY AND EMERGING TRENDS

Federalism in India has undergone far reaching changes due to

a multiplicity of factors- the informal and deliberate modification in
the original distribution of powers, the one party dominance system
for almost three decades in which Chief-Ministers in general were
nominees of the High Command, multiple levels of economic and
social development, and the peculiar ethnic, linguistic, cultural,
economic and political characteristics of the constituent States. All
these have at various times influenced the development of public
policies in the background of conflicting forces of centralization and
decentralization.
The Constitution 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, substantially
altered the original federal character of the Indian system. This has
unquestionably reaffirmed the intent of the Constitution Makers to
establish a lasting Union in which the States will have no right to
secede. Significant changes have occurred in the Seventh Schedule
which have affected the original distribution of powers between the
Centre and the States. The entries transferred from the State List to
the Concurrent List include, (a) administration of justice, constitution
and organization of all courts except the Supreme and the High
Courts, (b) education, (c) weights and measures, (d) forests, and (e)
protection of wild animals and birds. Taxes on advertisements,
broadcast by radio or television were also excluded from the purview
of entry 55 of the State List.
In addition the Union List has also been amended to give
authority to the Union Government to deploy any armed forces of the
Union or any other forces.

452

The most controversial change was to make the administration

of justice and the organization of courts other than the Supreme
Court and the High Courts a concurrent subject. The amended
Constitution had drastically tilted the balance of power regarding
initiation and implementation of public policies in favour of the
Centre.
Even in normal times, there are certain provisions of the
Constitution which are against the working of the provincial
autonomy. These provisions are Articles 3, 132, 133, 134, 148, 155,
156, 201, 217 (10, 249 to 257, 259, 275910, 312, 316, 324(2), 353
and 355 etc.3
The Centre-State relations viewed as a straight fight over turf
came sharply in focus after the fourth general elections which was
widely considered as having opened up a new chapter in federal
process. The internal crisis of the Congress party and the emergence
of dissident splinter groups followed by the great split contributed
significantly

to

raising

the

level

of

consciousness

regarding

inadequacies of the federal system. The social realities of the north

eastern region had been clamoring for attention and recognition for a
long time and the creation of separate States there was the last major
exercise in federal restructuring.

Planning has seriously affected the Center-State relationship in favour

of the Center and eroded the State autonomy.
Another factor, which has further resulted in centralizing
tendency, is the role of Congress Party. Since it was dominating the
central and the provincial Government s, the policy and programmers
chalked and thrashed out by the central leadership were implemented
by the provincial leadership. The Chief Ministers were imposed or
3 Problems of State Autonomy and its emerging Trends- Ramji Lai.

453

removed at the direction and discretion of the central leadership. The

non-Congress Governments were not allowed to function and Article
356 was seriously misused. When the Congress party failed to get
defection in Kerala, it organizes an agitation to dislodge the
Government headed by EMS Namboodiripad. We will see many
examples of this in the coming chapter. The working of the Congress
Party gave severe set back to the provincial autonomy.
A politicized and discerning electorate welcomed the emergence
of regional alternatives to a party whose State leaders had ceased to
command respect because of their ineffectual representation in
Central policy making forums.
The persistence and intensification of multi-party federalism
over the last decade have raised serious doubts regarding the viability
of the old centralist regulatory conception of federal management.
Over

concentration

of

powers

had

generated

need

for

decentralization and it is argued that stronger States would ultimately

strengthen the Centre.
Uneven development of ethno-regional units and increased
politicization lend urgency to review of economic and financial
relations between the Centre and the States.
The forceful championing of States interest, by non-Congress
Government, and the partial success they were able to obtain raised
the possibility of challenges to Central leadership, along similar line,
from within the Congress. Regional Congress leaders were quick to
point to their own needs for greater autonomy in sect oral allocation of
resources in order to meet the threats of internal factionalism and
growing opposition.

454

Among emergency provisions, the incorporation of Article 356to restrict and check the powers of the State is also one of the main
reasons of tension.
The office of the institution of Governor is another important
reason of troubled relationship of Center-State.
We will study these two main causes of the tension in detail in next
chapters. In this chapter we will concentrate on the demand for more
autonomy by States.
7.B.4.

DEMMAND

FOR

GREATER

STATE

AUTONOMY

AND

APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONS.

From time to time, State Governments (mostly opposition run)

have passed resolutions, submitted memoranda to the Finance
Commission and have expressed views at appropriate Conferences to
change the scheme of the Constitution. Regarding Centre-State
relations many commissions and committees have been constituted.
The following are some important of them. Here it would not be
practical to go far while discussing their terms for demands but I will
discuss only those topics which are related with my topics.

7.B.4.I.

RAJAMANNAR COMMITTEE (1969)

On September 22,1969 the Tamil Nadu Government constituted

a Committee consisting of Dr. Rajamannar, Dr. Lakshmanswami
Mudaliar and P.C.Chandra Reddy to examine the entire question
regarding the relationship that should subsist between the Centre and
the States in a federal set up and suggest suitable amendments to the
Constitution so as to secure utmost autonomy to the States. A
questionnaire covering more than 100 questions was issued by the
Committee

and

suggestions were

invited on

questionnaire contained the following issues namely:

455

the

issues.

The

1. Federal system under the Constitution as the basis of CentreState relations;

2. Administrative and Executive Fields;
3. Legislative Field
4. Finance: Taxing powers: Distribution of revenues: Grants and
Loan from Centre:
5. Judiciary- Supreme Court and the High court;
6. Public Services;
7. Elections
It presented its report to the Tamil Nadu Government in May
1971. The pith of the report is to alter the theme of subordination of
the States running right through the Constitution.4
A.G. Noorani has correctly said that the Rajamannar Committee
was not asked and it did not inquire into the State of relations
between the Center and the States with an open mind.5 Though Dr.
Rajamannar resented this charge in a press interview,6 7yet it cannot
be accepted as an impartial body.
The

renowned

jurist

Mr.

M.C.

Setalvad

looked

at

the

recommendations of the Committee with great apprehensionJThe

Committee was asked by its terms of reference to suggest
constitutional changes not to secure the extent of autonomy necessary
for proper governance, but the utmost autonomy possible in a
federal set up.

As the Makers of the Constitution himself had

favoured bias towards the Centre this report was supposed to be

wholly unsatisfactory.

4 Federalism and Centre-State relations in India- O.P. Tiwari

5 Centre-State ties-A wrong Approach, The Indian Express,July 18,1971- taken from O.P. Tiwaris
book.
6 The Sunday Statesman, New Delhi, July, 1971- taken from Supra.
7 Seta!vad.M.C., Union and State Relations under the Constitution,-taken from Supra.

456

7.B.4.2. ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS COMMISSION (1969)

This commission was constituted by the Government of India
under the chairmanship of Mr. K. Hanumanthaiya. It Secretary was
V.V. Chari. The other members of this commission were H.V.Kamath,
Debabrata Moookeijeee, T.N. Singh and V. Shankar. It submitted its
13

th report to the Prime Minster on 19th June, 1969. It is unanimous.

However its report had been printed by the Ministry of Home Affairs,
New Delhi in June, 1980. Its recommendations to smoothen the
Centre-State ties were very valuable. Its recommendations were
related with following:
1. Unity of India : Its paramount Importance
2. Allocation of Functions and Resources between the Centre and
the States
3. Role of the Governor
4. Inter-State Council and Inter-Water Disputes
5. The Problem of Law and Order
6. Some Important Institution having a bearing on Centre-State
7. Relationship

Decentralisation of Powers in Certain Areas.

So far as the Centre-State Relations is concerned it is most

desirable to implement all or some of the recommendations of the
Administrative Reforms Commission, which have not lost their
relevance, after the appointment of Sarkaria Commission.

7.B.4.3. THE ANANDPUR SAHIB RESOLUTION

It was adopted by the Akali Dal, the Sikh party in Punjab, at one of
the most sacred cities of the Sikhs on 17th October 1973.

457

Apart from specific Sikh demands and demands for a greater

Punjab it requested that in this new Punjab and other States, the
Central intervention should be restricted to Defence, Foreign Affairs,
post and Telegraph, Currency and Railways.
The Anandpur Sahib Resolution was one of the factors making
the Indira Gandhi Government in 1983 appoint a new commission on
Centre-State relations-Sarkaria Commission.
7.B.4.4. WEST BENGAL MEMORANDUM (1977)

After the election of 1977, the CPI(M) led by Jyoti Basu, the
Chief Minister of West Bengal was actively advocating the cause of
State autonomy. The resulting political scene has given rise in certain
quarters to a demand for a fresh look at Center-State relations. The
lead in this direction has come from the West Bengal Government
which

has

adopted,

on

1st

December

1977,

2,500

word

memorandum, arguing the case for a truly federal relationship

between the Centre and the States.
The memorandum pointed out that national unity and
integration depends on more rapid all-round development of the mass.
This cannot be done by concentrating all powers and resources at the
Centre which reduce the States to mere recipients of Centres mercy
and generosity.

The West Bengal Memorandum is clearly reminiscent of the

efforts of the DMK Government of Tamil Nadu culminating in the
appointment of the Centre-State Relations Inquiry Committee in
1969.It was on the pattern of Rajamannar Committeereport, justifying
the demand of greater political and economic autonomy to the States
and for reducing interference by the Central Government in the affairs
of State Government.

458

It was submitted to the Union Government for consideration in

1977, but no national debate could take place on it as there was
change in the Government in the Centre.
In sixth General Election held in 1977, Janata Party, emerged
victorious in the Centre, and the movement for Greater State
autonomy was put into cold storage obviously because the
Rajamannar committee had accounted entire responsibility for
emergence and growth of unitary trend in India, to the Continuous
rule of Congress party both in the Centre and States. With the
appearance of Janata Party in the Centre, total reform in the political
power structure, particularly in the field of Centre-State relations was
expected. But the approach of Janata Party did not become different.
Next development which gave fresh lease of life to the movement
of demand for the Greater State autonomy was the reappearance of
Mrs. Indira Gandhi as Prime Minster in 1980 and her style of
functioning at the Centre. Efforts were made to replace non-Congress
(I) Government s in States. The demand for re-structuring CentreState relations took new impetus, and most of the opposition leaders
joined on the call of N.T.Ramarao, the former Chief Minister of Andhra
Pradesh. They have been successful in holding three conferences,
first, at Vijayawada in 1980, second in New Delhi in 1981 and third at
Srinagar in 1983.
The Vijayawada conference was preparatoiy for a common
stand.The New Delhi conclave 1981 discussed the common problem
but totally collapsed and did not produce any result. The Srinagar
conclave was organized, in early October, 1983, by Farooq Abdulla,
the then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and was attended by
number of opposition leaders including Jyoti Basu, N.T.Ramarao and
ram Krishna Hedge. By formulating recommendations, the conclave
was expected to have valuable impact on Sarkaria Panel.
459

7.B.4.5. SARKARIA COMMISSION (1988)

While responding to the situation related with the demand for

autonomy, the then Prime Minster Smt. Indira Gandhi on 24th March
1983 announced in Rajya sabha for appointment of a three-man
Commission headed by a former Supreme Court J. Ranjit Singh
Sarkaria to probe into the issue. This Commission has worked on
several issues which directly or indirectly concerned with Union-State
relations. It took at least 5 years for its study on the subject and
finally submitted its voluminous report running into 1580 pages
dividing into two parts. The matter which affects Union-State relations
bitterly is the role of a Governor. The commission has made the
following recommendations.9
1. This Commission headed by Justice R.S. Sarkaria, was
constituted to examine and review the working of the existing
arrangements between the Union and States in regard to
powers, functions and responsibilities in all spheres and
recommend such changes or other measures as may be
appropriate. The report was submitted in the year 1987-88.
2.

It includes all inter Governmental relations whether founded on

or arising from or related to constitutional or statutory
provisions

or

administrative

practices

and

conventions

including the mechanisms through which they are worked,

thus

clearly

recognizing

the

importance

of

unwritten

conventions and practices.

3.

As

general

characterisation

of

the

Commission's

recommendations are that although a drastic amendment to the

Constitution was deemed neither desirable nor necessary, it
found that its actual working leaves much to be desired.
460

Unfortunately, there has been a pervasive trend towards

greater centralization of powers over the years due to pressure
of powerful economic forces. Codes and conventions evolved in
the earlier years have been broken too lightly in the later years
--------- narrow personal and parochial interests have been given
priority over larger national interests8
Report is an examination and review of the working of:
1.

The Constitutional provisions regarding powers, functions and

responsibilities. Of Union and States having a bearing on their
relations in all spheres;

2.

The statutes having an interface between Union and States,

particularly to extent to which they impinge upon each others
area of responsibility and functions;

3.

The administrative practices and conventions------------ in area

of concurrent or separate responsibility such as planning,
devolution

of

mechanism or

financial

resources,............. including

the

agencies through which these functions are

channelized.
4.

So the conclusion of the Sarkaria Commission had to be that

conventions in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution
had to be renewed and newly developed.

5.

There are many vital subjects on which its recommendations

are valuable. There was the recommendation to amend the
Constitution to place residual Legislative power on the
Concurrent List, and thus taken them away from automatic
Union authority. (The important exceptions were to be the
residual powers of taxation, which would stay with the Union).
There was a recommendation to develop a convention of prior
consultation with the Centre prepared legislation in the
concurrent field. The report also recommended not to amend

8 Sarkaria Commissions Report- quoted from The Purse and the Power by Arie De Ruijter.

461

the Constitution, but to finally used the authority in the hands

of the President (Art. 263) to set up an Inter-State Council that
was established by Narasimha Rao Government but of general
nature.
6.

Sarkaria Report apart from finance, planning and development

gave veiy valuable recommendations on the position of the
Governor and the use of Article 356 in States. These Articles are
discussed in the next chapter in detail.

7.B.5. ROLE OF JUDICIARY

At the inaugural sitting of the Supreme Court on Januaiy 28,
1950, the first attorney-General of India, Sri M.C. Setalvad in his
address to the court said the Court will be called upon to frame the
boundaries between State and Union action and to adjust the
relationship of the Union to the States. The division of powers between
the Union and the States has been carefully planned. Yet many viable
domestic issues are bound to arise in a variety of forms before the
Court, and its decisions are sure to exercise a far-reaching influence
on these issues. 9
The Supreme Court has jurisdiction under Article 131 of the
Constitution to decide disputes between the Centre and the States,
the Centre and some States on one side and some States on the other
side, and two or more States.
According to A. Prasad10 The very existence of the original and
exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to decide disputes
between national and State Governments indicates that constitutional
structure of India is federal. Though there is no unanimity among the
9 Quoted from Centre-State Relations in India, Bidyut Chakrabarty.
10 Nature of Indian Polity- a. Prasad in Journal of the Bar Council of India, Vol.6 (1&2): 1977.

462

various judicial pronouncements, however, a thread of federalism is

clear through all these decisions. India is a federation, it is agreed by
the courts, the only difference lies to some extent to the degree of the
powers enjoyed by the Centre and the States.
Shri F.S. Nariman, in his article on The Supreme Court and
Centre-State Relations in the book Public Law in India edited by
Shri A.G. Noorani, has referred to the following 5 cases decided by the
Supreme Court as Landmark decisions on Centre-State relations:
1. State of West Bengal vs. Union of India(AIR 1963 SC 1241 ) in
which the court held that State Property can be validly acquired
by the Union Government;
2. Sea Customs Case (AIR 1963 SC 1710 ) in which it was held that
indirect taxes like Cuustoms and Excise duties on State
properties, and State manufactures can lawfully be imposed, and
collected by the Union;
3. Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation Vs. I.T.O. (AIR1964
SC1486) in which it was held that State Corporations or agencies,
cannot claim State immunity for taxation.
4. State of Rajasthan Vs. Union of India ()AIR 1977 SC 1361) In
which it was held that that the State Governments can be
virtually compelled by the Centre to seek a fresh mandate from
the electorate even before expiry of the Constitutional term of the
State Assembly.
5. State of Karnataka Vs. Union of India (AIR 1978 SC 68 ) in which
it was held that the conduct of Chief Minister or Ministers of a
State Government could validly be the subject of an inquiry by a
commission appointed by the Centre.
Commenting on the Supreme Courts stance with regard to the
Centre-State disputes one cant fail to notice that since the
11 A.G. Noorani, Landmark decisions on Centre-State Relations.

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commencement of the constitution a the Supreme Court it has not

even once decided an issue directly arising between Centre and State
in favour of the State. It would be unfair to regard this as a criticismthe stark fact is that the judges of the Apex Court have sincerely
believed that India needs a strong Centre. This belief has been
continuously reflected in the decisions since 1950 in the gray areas of
doubt in Centre-State conflicts.
The Sarkaria Commission listing four more cases in addition to
those cited by F. S. Nariman has concluded: The need for a strong
united India which was the prime objective before the Constitution makers, appears to have been a silent premise dominating the process
of adjudicating of Union -State disputes in these cases12.
In V. Venkatraman v. Controller of East Duty( AIR, 1960 Mad.
305) and in R.M.D. C. Private Ltd. V. State of Mysore ( A.I.R., 1962
S.C. 594 ) the judiciary strictly construed traditional federal principle.
7.B.6. NCRWCS RECOMMENDATION

Recently, the Commission examined the Constitutional provisions

regarding Center-State relationships. The Commission is of the
opinion that there is no ground for change in the existing
constitutional provisions. But it believes that provisions .that are
contained in Article 245 to 254, has to be regarded as a valuable
instrument for consolidating and furthering the principle of co
operative and creative federalism. The Commission is convinced that
it is essential to institutionalize the process of consultation between
the two.

12 Quoted from Centre-State Relations in India by Bidyut Chakrabarty.

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The Commission recommends that individual and collective

consultation with the States should be undertaken through the InterState Council established under Article 263 of the Constitution,
7.B.7. CRITICAL APPRAISAL
As we have seen in the earlier chapter, there were some compelling
reasons and circumstances prevailing at the time of drafting the
Constitution for having a strong Center. Memories of partition of the
country were very fresh in the minds of the framers of the
Constitution and this suggested to the framers the need for taking
adequate precautions to ensure unity of this vast country and prevent
and arrest fissiparous tendencies. That is why they opted for a strong
Centre.
The Centres strength lies in its large legislative and financial powers, and in its
control over State Legislation and administration in certain situations. In the last
chapter under the head of Division of Legislative power we discussed all the
relevant provisions under which the Parliament can also enact a law with respect to
the subject matters covered by the State List are mentioned. These exceptional
circumstances are:

1. If the Council of States by a resolution supported by not less than

two-third majority declares that it is necessary in the national
interest to do so, during a proclamation of emergency,
2. If the Legislature of two or more States pass a resolution to the
effect that it is desirable to have a law passed by Parliament on
any matters in the State List.
3. For giving effect to treaties and international agreements, and
4. Failure of Constitutional machinery in a State.

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The special circumstances existing at the time of the

Constitution making made direct inroads into the traditional federal
principle.
If we compare the Constitutional position of the Centre with the
States, it becomes quite obvious that there is a conscious
Constitutional tilt in favour of the Centre. However, the State
Legislative powers, though not so broadly worded as those of the
Centre, are, nevertheless, significant. The State has to maintain law
and order. Agriculture and irrigation on which the prosperity of the
depend country so much fall within the purview of the States. The
State regulates industry and mines, health, waterways, roads, trade
and commerce etc.
Can it really be said that, taking into consideration the nations
needs, the power of the Center are excessive or the situations so
changed as to call for a radical change in the Constitution as proposed
by different memorandum and committees?

Is there any absolute

federal principle in any of the worlds federal Constitutions as

assumed by the Rajamannar Committee and the West Bengal
Memorandum?
The need to maintain the unity and integrity of country is as
important at present as it was 50 years ago. Over population,
regionalism, casteism, communalism, terrorism, etc are as great
problems as they were in 1950.
The solution to the problem of the Centre-State tensions lies in co
operative federalism and that calls for a continual consultation
between the Centre and the States. The excessive autonomy for the
States would lead to a steady weakening of the Centre. A weak Centre
and strong States would both lead to fissiparous tendencies and

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hamper national integration.13 Thus owing to the typical historical

evolution of our nation and other factors as mentioned above the
Centre has to strong to ward off the secessionist forces at work.
According to Nani Palkhiwala,14 there is no doubt about the
injustice done by the Centre to the States but we should not forget
that the injuries done to the States are, in a sense, self-inflicted. The
Centre is nothing but the States in their federal garb: the Parliament
and the Central Government consist of none but the elected
representative of the States. The real authors of the injustice's are the
self-centred representatives of the States who, after being elected to
Parliament, have betrayed the true interests of the very States which
returned them. Over Constitution aims at co-operative federalism,
which undoubtedly appears to be a panacea for the grievances of the
States.

13 Taken from the Indian Express Editorial, Careful, dear federalist- Inder Jit.
14 We, The People- Nani Palkhiwala.

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